Interview With Rita Banerji of ’50 Million Missing’

Rita Banerji is founder and chief administrator of the on-line international campaign 50 MILLION MISSING

A trained conservation biologist and ecologist, most of her work is women-focused.

Under the directive of Dr. Vandana Shiva, Rita worked on an ecological project for Chipko – a rural women’s grassroots movement in India – examining the role the local women played in preserving their environment. She has also been involved in projects that examine the roles that women have in the use of alternative energy resources, in traditional agriculture, and in the preservation of biodiversity in agriculture.

She is currently working on a non-fiction book to be released by Penguin (India) in July 2008.
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I recently met and spent time with Rita in her hometown of Calcutta. Her knowledge on the issue of the genocide of Indian women is extraordinary. What follows is a discussion on the subject of Rita’s campaign.

Barbara:What is the 50 Million Missing campaign?

Rita: The primary aim of the 50 Million Missing campaign, which was launched on the website flickr in December 2006, is to raise awareness both in India and internationally, about the millions of women that have been systematically eliminated from India’s population due to customs like female foeticide, infanticide and dowry murders.

The word ‘missing’ was coined by Dr. Amartya Sen to refer to the number of women that should have been in India’s population, according to the normal male/female ratio universal to the human species. In industrialized countries such as Europe or North America, where there is no gender preference at birth, the natural ratio of men to women is about 100:105. Dr. Sen used an even lower bench-mark – 100:102 men to women (which he got from sub-Saharan Africa which has, among developing countries, the least difference in survival factors such as birth, life span, etcetera, between men and women) as the average for developing countries. Then, comparing this average with the gender ratio from the census data in 1986, of 93 women to 100 men, Sen found that there were 9 women ‘missing’ for every 100 men, and concluded that (at that time) India was “missing” a total of about 37 million women. Of course, that number continues to escalate and now stands at about 50 million. Hence the campaign name — 50 Million Missing.

In the future we plan to implement ground projects that are geared towards change, but before we can make any changes we first have to make people aware that this is happening. Most people (not just outside India but also within) are either not aware of the situation or are in denial that it exists. The first and most important challenge of this campaign is to break down the doubt and denial.

Barbara:What prompted you to launch the campaign; how did you become involved with this issue?

Rita: About 5 years ago while doing research for my book I came across the issue of millions of ‘missing’ women in India. Although Dr. Sen had put out this information two decades ago (in the late 80’s) I only became aware of it recently. So I began to look for more information and was horrified by what I discovered. This is why I call it India’s ‘silent genocide.’ Because it is so hidden. It is the silent but targeted elimination of a group – women. And something has to be done.

Barbara:Has the campaign gained interest from others? Are you working with other Organizations on this issue?

Rita: We have administrators and moderators from 7 countries for our group on Flickr. The interactive website – with more than 1400 world-wide members – has information galleries, discussion galleries, and a photo gallery with more than 7000 photos of Indian girls and women.

The reaction from people is mixed. Those that are aware of the issue are indignant, and very supportive. Many people, I think, are still in disbelief or in denial – they know it’s true but that’s not the public image they want for India. This is the land of Buddha and Gandhi and the whole non-violence philosophy. How could we have exterminated 50 Million of our own people – our own family members – daughters, wives, and daughters-in-law? The very thought is ghastly. Among groups –there are groups like the HRLN (Human Rights Law Network) London based ASF (Acid Survivors Foundation) that we have a good working relationship with and will form productive partnerships with. But we are still looking for more energetic and efficient NGOs we can partner with to foster change.

The group is currently preparing to set up an organization in India that will work on its cause related projects.

Barbara:What do you wish to accomplish with the campaign?

Rita: The first thing we wish to do is STOP the killings – the infanticides and dowry murders, and STOP female foeticide as well. The problem is so massive that the only way to do it is to have the government enforce existing laws. That is why we have an online petition that we’ve started circulating. We want the Indian government to be held accountable.

The second thing we’ll do is launch ground projects that will address the mindset, since it’s quite clear to us that this is what the cause is. It’s not poverty, or illiteracy. It is a cultural mindset that is fundamentally misogynist. So we want to start effecting long term change to people’s thinking through seminars, workshops, school curriculum, etc. The means and methods have yet to be worked out. But this is a long term project that will have to be carried out in a very systematic and measured manner.

Barbara: What can the general public do to become involved?

Rita: The first thing they need to do is sign the petition. Every signature on that petition is a voice of dissent. It says “I want this genocide to stop and I want the government of India to take the responsibility to implement its laws to stop this genocide.” This is mass homicide (even if we don’t include the female foeticide issue here), and therefore essentially a case of massive malfunctioning of India’s system of law and order. So sign and get as many people as you know to sign the petition.

Secondly once we start our projects we will need volunteers to help out with the surveys etc. So volunteer your time, even if it is just 1 or 2 hours a month!

Some of the resources or advice or expertise we will need in our ground projects include medical assistance, psychological counseling, teaching, skills training. So if you can offer your assistance please contact us.

Finally, speak out! Talk about the issues involved. Don’t be a mute spectator to the abuse of young women for dowry whether it’s in your family or that of your neighbors. Speak up. Intervene. Talk about the compulsion you witness of parents willing to take loans to pay dowry. Of parents refusing to allow their daughters to return home even when they know she is being abused. Of families forcing their wives and daughter-in-laws to undergo multiple abortions.

Silence – when people see it and don’t talk about it – has been one of the biggest perpetrators of genocide the world over. And don’t use the excuses: “These things cannot be changed. Dowry is an old tradition. People want sons to support them in their old age and carry on the family’s name,” for that is resignation. That is a mindset that allows this genocide to exist. Allow it no room to exist.
–50 Million Missing
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6 Responses

hey barbara, it’s good to come back to your site. glad to see you’re going strong as ever in your route of life.a very significant interview. you should try to get it in some paper perhaps. good luck with your goals.

mam, this is an issue which is very very important for me . and something i felt whole heartedly for. please feel free to tell how i can be associated with you. i have saved my two daughters from feoticide and infanticide by moving out of my in laws house.
i do not want my daughters to face the same thing when they grow up.
also i am ready to speak out.
one thing which i have realised in my struggle to save my daughters is that-there are lot many people to campaign, but very few (<1%) are ready to stand by you when a real case comes along
secondly-delhi laws may be pro women, but law enforcers are totally anti women. it is not crime against women cell, but anti women criminal cell